I'm looking to build up a flat bar, 26" touring(trekking) bike. I've got the frame, fork, saddle and about $400-$600 to use right now.

Hypothetically if this were your build/budget, what components would you go with? I've got a pretty good idea but I figured I'd poll the masses to see what a forum with this much experience would suggest.

I can flex on the budget some, but it might have to wait for a while. I'm not looking for racks/luggage to be included in the total cost and I'll do all the wrenching myself. Most likely use will be weekend on/offroad tours/bikepacking, but I'd like to be able to have the option of extended tours as well. Bike frame is a mid 90s ATB (Giant Sedona ATX) with studs for canti brakes.

Ready....GO!

Shimano XT 1x11 Drivetrain Groupset | Chain Reaction Cycles
xt 11 speed drive train.

XT 3X10 speed, they aren't the top components in the world, but you can put some miles on them before they will need to be switched. Get the long cage rear so you always have the option to go for a bigger bailout. Also you my end up needing to get the mount for the bottom bracket refaced with the newer outboard bearing bottom brackets, I don't know a lot about that frame.
Shimano XT 10sp Drivetrain Groupset Builder | Chain Reaction Cycles

after that it's just your favorite bar, some brakes and brake levers and cables.
I don't know anything about 26" rims so someone else will have to jump in here.

To be honest, I would just start over. The frame is not much to work with, and you should be able to find a complete bike within your budget. Bikesdirect and Bike Island are where I would start looking. Nashbar and Performance as well. Then perhaps you could get lucky with REI. Wouldn't hurt to check Craigslist once in a while.

Buy another used bike and strip It. spend the rest on tools to move all the parts over.

Trekking figure 8 bend bars are what I have in place of flat bars on 2 bikes For Touring..

[with flat bar shifters (Rohloff Grip-shift) ]

Does not have to be a derailleur rig at all.. Shimano 11 speed IGH maybe?

and Brakes 1 has Magura Rim brakes, (stock) the other came with Disc Brakes



for my Old MTB I Built up Drum Brake hubs for the wheels .. It has the studded tires on it Now.

Options-
- buy a good used MTB and move the components over.
- buy used off ebay.
- If you want to buy new, below are options I would look into with your budget...

WHEELS Sun Ringlé Rhyno Lite / Shimano Deore 525 Mountain Wheelset Deore hubs on Sun Rhyno Lite rims. Get them properly tensioned and stress relieved at a local shop for probably $10 per wheel.
HANDLEBARS Nashbar Trekking Mountain Bike Handlebar Amazon.com : XLC Touring Multifunction-Bail HB-C05 (Design: black matt, Ø 25, 4 mm SB-plus) : Flat Bike Handlebars : Sports & Outdoors wiggle.com | BBB BHB-30 MultiBar Trekking Bar | Road Handlebars Lots of hand positions and back positions to keep loose.
DEORE GROUP Shimano Deore 9sp Drivetrain Groupset Builder | Chain Reaction Cycles $215-250 depending on what you select. Shifters, derailleurs, chain, cassette, brake levers, crank, bottom bracket.
BRAKES If you want cantilever - https://www.amazon.com/Tektro-BR2007-.../dp/B00NHPJCBI
BAR TAPE Cinelli Gel Cork Bar Tape | Chain Reaction Cycles Lots of colors, not absurdly cheap or absurdly expensive. Durable and has held color without fading.



Thatll be about $420 for everything above(guesstimate). Get whatever saddle you like. No point in listing them since they range from $20-200 and there is no 'good' saddle due to them being individual fit.
I dont lust after higher end components. For me, what Deore offers would be more than I need in terms of gearing and quality. I am building a touring bike right now with an XT rear derailler, but only because its 15 years old and I got if off ebay for $20. The front derailleur is Sora. They both shift the chain like I want when I want. Im just dont see the need to spend more when a lower end component does what I want every time and isnt effectively any 'worse'.

For what its worth, I would look into replacing the stem you have. Either get a one piece quill riser stem with a pop top like this- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Q3Y9SW/...ter_B016QRTPFG or buy a threadless converter stem for $12-20 and a threadless stem for $12-30.
The change isnt necessary, but it would make installing and adjusting bars WAY easier. The diameter of the fork would determine what stem would fit, just keep that in mind.



You would need only a couple of specialized tools to build the bike, in addition to common tools.

get this when it comes out ..https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10...ing-group.html

Shimano XT goes on Tour with new T8000 trekking group - Bikerumor

If you know what you're doing, I would hunt for cheap parts (or strippable bikes) on local CL/ebay. Do a mish-mash.

Spent all the money on tires, wheels, and kool stop salmon pads.. cheap out on the rest

I have a bike like this now...



*
price guesses:...

* Ryhnolite wheelset ($125)
* Panaracer paselas ($75)
* Avid SD7s ($20 new)
* tektro V's ($25)
* kool stops ($25)
* ebay china seatpost ($15)
* ebay china stem ($10)
* ebay china bars ($15)
* ebay reseller brake/shift cable set ($15)
* redline pinned pedals amazon ($25)
* old FD/RDs I had (worth.. $20?)
* random old triple crank I had (free, worth $25?)

total: $395

forgot grips and shifters... it has Oury and I went too far and did Paul thumbies + shimano barcons...

But you can probably find even better deals if you have time. Used 26" wheelset in good condition could be a little as $50 on CL these days.

There are a huge number of great options out there, so I won't suggest any specific components.

But, I will say that if you plan to use any electronics on your travels, a good quality dynohub with low rolling resistance and a USB charger for it would be something worth having. In the last few years when smartphones and GPS apps for them have become nearly ubiquitous, that has made a dynohub much more useful for the bike tourist than it was only a few years ago.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I've been kicking around the idea of finding a used bike on CL to swap everything over, and to be honest this frame has some sentimental value so I isn't going anywhere. I've got all the tools that I'll need and about a dozen other bikes to cover most every type of riding available, so this one is just kind of a fun experiment in touring/gravel/kick around bike with a flatish bar.

mstateglfr this is almost exactly the build I had picked out, except for the trekking bars and I think I like the wheels that you mention better than any that I was able to find...I must have skimmed over them when I was browsing nashbar, so thanks for that!

I was thinking about shortening the stem with a different one, but I didn't even realize they offered "pop-tops" for a stem like this, though it really makes sense that they would.

Since it does sound like you are planning to move forward with this frame, you are in the drivers seat (so to speak). As a touring bike, I do not know if you plan fully loaded touring with low rider ft rack and all. Notice; the frame is designed for a top pull front derailleur only. Since the frame is bare, this would be the perfect time to have fork braze ons, a left down tube cable stop for a ft derailleur and possibly under the down tube waterbottle cage nuts brazed on. As far as components go there are really an endless combination of components.